The SouthState Team Gets Hands-on Professional Development Opportunity
8/14/2024 (Updated: 2/23/2026) - Stories and Insights
“It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera. They are made with the eye, heart and head.” – Henri Cartier-Bresson
SouthState’s Marketing and Communications team are storytellers at heart. They find, tell and share the stories of the SouthState team members who make a difference for their customers, the story of the business owner that made their dreams come true thanks to financing from the bank, or the first-time home buyer assisted by the bank’s Mortgage team who finally has a set of keys to a place of their own.
Sometimes, they tell these stories with words. But they always tell these stories with photos.
Part of SouthState’s vision is to be a leadership academy. The company focuses on providing learning and development opportunities for each team member, providing access to new skills that help them discover their potential and develop in new and exciting ways.
For the Marketing and Communications team, who spend much of their time telling important stories in photos, one of those opportunities came in the form of a photo boot camp, taught by a renowned and beloved photojournalist and professor from the University of South Carolina.
Professional development comes in all shapes and sizes, from on-demand virtual classes to seminars with live Q&A opportunities. For the photography boot camp, however, an interactive, hands-on experience was a must. Participants not only received lessons on photography composition and camera feature usage, but they also practiced their new skills onsite with the professor available for additional coaching.
Kaitlyn Handell, Marketing Specialist, reflecting on the elements of the course, said, “In Marketing, we are challenged with creating compelling content that breaks through the clutter. There are so many ‘things’ that fight for our attention daily, and captivating visuals play a major role in winning that attention. Through this development opportunity, we learned the basic principles of using a camera and composition techniques which are essential to taking a quality photo. But we were also challenged to change our perspective – reframe the photo, adjust the lighting, alter our point of view – to capture a moment in time in a captivating way that connects with the audience. If we can’t connect with the audience, then we aren’t doing our jobs well.”
SouthState’s Marketing and Communications team are storytellers at heart. They find, tell and share the stories of the SouthState team members who make a difference for their customers, the story of the business owner that made their dreams come true thanks to financing from the bank, or the first-time home buyer assisted by the bank’s Mortgage team who finally has a set of keys to a place of their own.
Sometimes, they tell these stories with words. But they always tell these stories with photos.
Part of SouthState’s vision is to be a leadership academy. The company focuses on providing learning and development opportunities for each team member, providing access to new skills that help them discover their potential and develop in new and exciting ways.
For the Marketing and Communications team, who spend much of their time telling important stories in photos, one of those opportunities came in the form of a photo boot camp, taught by a renowned and beloved photojournalist and professor from the University of South Carolina.
Photo by Jackie Smith, Director of Public Relations
Professional development comes in all shapes and sizes, from on-demand virtual classes to seminars with live Q&A opportunities. For the photography boot camp, however, an interactive, hands-on experience was a must. Participants not only received lessons on photography composition and camera feature usage, but they also practiced their new skills onsite with the professor available for additional coaching.
Kaitlyn Handell, Marketing Specialist, reflecting on the elements of the course, said, “In Marketing, we are challenged with creating compelling content that breaks through the clutter. There are so many ‘things’ that fight for our attention daily, and captivating visuals play a major role in winning that attention. Through this development opportunity, we learned the basic principles of using a camera and composition techniques which are essential to taking a quality photo. But we were also challenged to change our perspective – reframe the photo, adjust the lighting, alter our point of view – to capture a moment in time in a captivating way that connects with the audience. If we can’t connect with the audience, then we aren’t doing our jobs well.”
Storytelling through photos captures what words alone cannot always convey.
Why is Storytelling Through Photos and Capturing Compelling Images Important?
“Storytelling through photos captures what words alone cannot always convey,” said Maddi Raby, Digital Content Manager. “They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and it’s true. Each shot offers a unique glimpse into the lens of the storyteller, revealing not just the subject but the creator’s perspective, what they find significant, beautiful, or heartbreaking.”
Photo by Maddi Raby, Digital Content Manager
Vincent Ascolese, Senior PR & Social Media Manager, said, “Becoming a better photographer might be the single most important skill a social media pro can develop. The principles of photography can also be applied to videography, and we live in a time where the demand for video is at an all-time high, so there is some very valuable carry over there. When you develop your photography skills based on sound composition techniques, you are forced to become a critical thinking visual storyteller. Those critical thinking storytelling muscles get developed in a visual way when you practice photography, but that development doesn’t leave you when you put down the camera. It stays with you when you write your social post copy, or a video script or formulate your next video story board. All of that storytelling practice compounds over time and leads to becoming a well-rounded, capable social pro.”
What Does it Mean to You to Have Development Opportunities as a MarCom Professional?
“Having the opportunity to try out a new skill you’ve learned and receive live feedback makes a world of difference in professional development. Such was the case with the photography workshop,” said Rachel Ham, Culture and People Public Relations Manager. “We learned foundational techniques we can apply to a variety of projects.”Social Media Manager Brandon Steinagel said, “I learned that the capacity for creativity exists everywhere if you look hard at the nooks and crannies of our everyday lives. It was inspiring to force myself into new perspectives and, in turn, find the mundane become mystifying. Having development opportunities like this is something I appreciate immensely. I’m given the chance to become a more holistic Marketing professional, which benefits not only my future career, but also my ability to add tangible value to the job I’m doing today.”
Photo by Brandon Steinagel, Social Media Manager
The skills learned allow MarCom team members to better collaborate with professional photographers hired for photoshoots and create their own branded images for usage by the entire bank.
Using their eyes, hearts and heads, and opening their minds to professional development opportunities, the MarCom team has a new lens on life – and work.
To learn more about the development opportunities SouthState offers team members, or to apply for a career, visit our Careers Page. Interested in learning more about SouthState behind the scenes? Get a glimpse of Life at SouthState.
